Forgotten Island

Forgotten Island: full review

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Those who read me regularly know that my natural territory is damp basements, decomposing bodies and French films that should come with a medical warning. That this humble academic of cynicism should sign the review of a DreamWorks family animated film deserves an explanation, and the explanation has a name: manananggal. It's a creature from Philippine folklore, a woman who at night separates the upper half of her body, unfurls bat wings and goes out to hunt. And she's one of the protagonists of Forgotten Island, which uses her and a whole bestiary of monsters from the archipelago to build one of the best animated films of the year.

The story is set in the 1990s Philippines. Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) have been best friends forever, but high school is ending and Raissa is going to study at Caltech, in the United States. On their last night together, at a farewell party, they find a magical sand dollar that opens a portal to Nakali, the island their late grandmother Fatima used to tell them about. The name comes from nakalimutan, "forgotten" in Tagalog, and it's no accident: Batiba, a batibat (the nightmare spirit of Philippine folklore) voiced by Jenny Slate, offers to send them home in exchange for their friendship bracelets and all the memories they hold. If they don't find another way out, they'll forget each other forever.

A bestiary you won't find in Disney books

The first thing that stands out about Forgotten Island is its mythology. While American animation recycles the same dragons and the same fairies over and over, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, who have worked together at DreamWorks since Kung Fu Panda 2, went to their Filipino roots for a catalogue of creatures Western audiences barely know: the manananggal Manang (voiced by Lea Salonga), the tiyanak Bungi (Manny Jacinto), a lying kataw prince, kapres, duwendes voiced by Ronny Chieng, and Raww (Dave Franco), a were-dog who has lived on the island for centuries and guides the girls with rather doubtful loyalties. Some of these beings are, in their original form, genuine nightmares, and the film doesn't entirely pull their fangs. And there's something wonderful about seeing creatures that in their legends have terrified generations of Filipino children turned into characters in a family film.

The team is top-notch. Crawford directed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Forgotten Island inherits its style: computer animation with the texture of illustration, movement with the rhythm of hand-drawn animation and action sequences that look straight out of a comic. Add to that anime-influenced 2D flashbacks animated by Manila's Snipple studio, and a score by Nathan Matthew David, who researched indigenous Philippine music and recorded at Abbey Road. It's a film that looks, sounds and feels different.

A friendship story that isn't sugar-coated

But what really holds the film up is the relationship between Jo and Raissa. It's not the typical story of two friends who fall out and make up in the third act with a song: it's a story about the fear of growing up and drifting apart, about friendship breaking precisely when it's needed most, and about what we're willing to sacrifice for someone. The script takes jealousy, resentment and guilt seriously, and some of its revelations genuinely hurt. American critics compared it to influences as disparate as The Hangover and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and the mix makes sense: it's a wild adventure comedy with a sad heart.

H.E.R. and Liza Soberano voice the leads with a naturalness that makes every fight and every hug believable, and the supporting cast, almost entirely Filipino or of Filipino descent, brings an authenticity you can feel in the accents, the jokes and the silences.

What it lacks (not much)

If we must find fault, the second act piles up too many creatures and too many twists, and at times the film looks like a catalogue of monsters parading for the design department's benefit. Some supporting characters are barely sketched and the ending, which we won't reveal here, resolves things with a generosity some will find excessive.

The saddest part is the box office: with 95% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, a 74 on Metacritic, an A CinemaScore and a five-minute standing ovation at Annecy, the film has grossed around 75 million dollars on a budget of 80. It's the usual fate of original animated films that belong to no franchise, and it's an injustice worth correcting.

The best

• The Filipino bestiary: manananggal, tiyanak, kapres and duwendes, a catalogue of creatures never before seen in studio animation.

• The friendship: a story about growing up and drifting apart that doesn't dodge the pain.

The worst

• The second act: too many creatures and twists that saturate.
• The supporting characters: some are barely sketched.
• The ending: somewhat indulgent compared with what the film had set up.

The Claqueta Ácida Verdict

Forgotten Island is proof that studio animation can still surprise when it dares to look beyond the usual fairy tales. It has a fascinating mythology, spectacular animation and a friendship story with more truth than most adult dramas this season. We give it an 8, nuclear fusion, and it's signed by someone who usually asks for more blood: there are monsters to spare here and, for once, the greatest fear is forgetting the person you love. Take the kids. And if you don't have kids, go anyway. 🦇

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